Sodium Chlorate - whats the cheapest alternative?

manglesey25 · 8 August 2011 at 12:04PM

Sodium Chlorate has been banned by the EU, but it was only £1.99 for a 500g tub which covered 70 Sq. metres of gravel driveway kept the weeds away for a year perfectly and cheaply.

The garden centres now expensive marketed brands like Roundup and products what come in a 1Ltr hand squirter at crazy prices like £5.99. This is not a practical alternative for covering a 70 Sq Metre driveway.

Does anyone know the best way for cover our deiveway that can be dispensed from a watering can? - and doesnt come with rediculous prices?

fwor · 8 August 2011 at 3:28PM

Dammit, wish I'd noticed - I would have stockpiled (yeah, I know, you're not even allowed to use it now, but that wouldn't have worried me).

Glyphosate (which is what Roundup is based on) is apparently the one now recommended, though I personally don't think it's anywhere near as good for driveways.

For your area of cover, you might need to look to agricultural suppliers rather than garden centres.

scbk · 8 August 2011 at 8:02PM

Glyphosate only kills what it touches, so to keep an area weed free it would really have to be applied every month or so

If you're after glyphosate you'd be best off filling your own (clearly marked) bottle from someone who buys it in bulk. From what I remember the 360g/l is about £20-£25 for 1 litre or £40-£50 for 5 litres :huh:

It's normally mixed at about 100ml per 10l of water, and applied with a sprayer

amcluesent · 8 August 2011 at 11:25PM

You could get a proper flamegun, it'll do the business on weeds and burn off any seeds.

Davesnave · 9 August 2011 at 8:01AM

What you are looking for is a residual weedkiller which leaves the poison in the ground, ready to attack pre-emergent weeds, but that''s exactly what you're not going to get now that nearly all of these have been banned.

Glyphosate only works through foliage, so you must actually have active weeds before it will work,and then it takes 2-3 weeks to show the full effects.

A flame gun is one option, but not the puny Weed Wand type, which is only handy for lighting barbecues and bonfires IMO. You would find a Sheen flame gun, costing in the region of £150, more effective.

I have lots of gravel. Rather than buy a flame gun, I spot treat with glyphosate bought in agricultual quantities about 4 or 5 times a season and live with the weeds that emerge between treatments. I'm not convinced that buying (and running) a flame gun would be more cost or time effective, but if one came up locally secondhand, I might be persuaded to buy it.

My remaining sodium chorate is reserved for the real nasties!

manglesey25 · 9 August 2011 at 2:09PM

Dont suppose you are willing to share some of your stock? -)

forgotmyname · 12 August 2011 at 12:22AM

If its on a gravel driveway try salt... Cheapo supermarket brand salt.

Works wonders, I found out after sprinking a very small amount under a sunflower because it seemed home for slugs and snails.

Got up the next day and the sunflower was dying.

Just used some where i plan on putting a small ornamental pond i plan to grow cress in. Few weeds in the sandy base.
Before adding the final layer to level everything i sprinkled some salt down and the weeds are dead already.

Sodium Chlorate - whats the cheapest alternative?

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